The rotary connector device such as steering roll connector which is mounted on a vehicle such as automobiles and the like includes a cable housing formed of a stator (stator case) and a rotator (rotator case) to be assembled on a same axis so as to be relatively rotatable.
The rotary connector device has the stator secured to the automobile body and the rotator assembled on the steering wheel in the cable housing. Further, the rotary connector device electrically connects between the automobile body and the steering wheel, for example, horn module, air bag module, power supply, and the like, via flat cables accommodated in an accommodating space in the cable housing.
A rotary connector device described in Patent Document 1 is one of such rotary connector devices.
In the rotary connector device described in Patent Document 1, a retainer (guiding member) for guiding flat cables (band-shaped transmission lines), which are accommodated in an accommodating space (ring space) formed in a cable housing, is located on a bottom surface of the accommodating space.
The retainer is formed of a plate-like guide ring which has a C-shape in a plan view and is located on the bottom surface of the accommodating space so as to be rotatable around a rotating shaft of a rotator, and a plurality of rollers which are shaft-supported in respective portions equally dividing a circumferential direction of the guide ring so as to be rotatable around rotating shafts parallel to the rotating shaft of the rotator.
The flat cables are accommodated in the accommodating space in a state wound in a circle, with a radially internal end being wound to an inner peripheral tube portion (inner tube shaft portion) of the rotator, a radially external end being wound to an outer peripheral tube portion (outer tube portion) of the stator, and a middle portion being wound back into a U-shape.
In association with a rotating operation of the steering wheel, the radially internal end and external end of a flat cable are wound to and released from the inner peripheral tube portion and the outer peripheral tube portion, respectively, in the accommodating space. Since the retainer rotates in the ring space in the circumferential direction following such movements, the flat cable can be kept accommodated in the cable housing with no damage.
However, when the flat cable wound in a circle in the accommodating space bends upward, or a vehicle vibrates while it is running, an upper end portion of the flat cable sometimes contacts an upper flange (top plate) of the rotator which covers over the accommodating space, causing a problem that an annoying sound is made by the contact.
Particularly, when the steering wheel is being manipulated, the rotator rotates with respect to the stator. Thus, when the flat cable contacts the rotator, it contacts the rotator in a rotating state and the rotator and the flat cable scrape (slide) against each other, and an annoying sound can be easily made.
Further, when the rotator rotates with respect to the stator, the flat cable is wound to and released from in the accommodating space. Accordingly, the flat cable wound in a circle slides in a radial direction, and the rotator and the flat cable scrape each other heavily causing an annoying sound to be made more easily.
As described above, there is a problem that an annoying sound is made while driving, which becomes a disturbance in comfort driving.
Furthermore, there is also a problem that, if a flat cable contacts repeatedly, the flat cable may be damaged by abrasion.